I sensed that he knew somet
hing wasn’t right, but my mom certainly didn’t. At least, her actions said she was clueless.
She’d wanted me married for a while now because she thought a marriage and then a baby would be good for my father’s political career. Sometimes I wondered what planet she lived on. Although my marriage would make the local news, I’d be surprised if it made national news. I wasn’t all that important. My mother was delusional.
Millie had travelled with me and had made it known how stupid I was being, and that Declan wouldn’t keep his part of the deal.
I wanted to believe that he would though. I needed to believe that Stryker would be free to have a life even if it wasn’t with me. I loved him so much that I wanted that for him. It would break my heart knowing he was with someone else, but wasn’t that how he’d feel knowing that I was married to Patrick. It would kill him.
Tears ran down my face as I huddled on a chair in my mother’s glasshouse. For years, I’d called it the boathouse, and still did, because that’s what it held and it was on the bank of the lake. But, my mother had made the upstairs into a lounge where she’d entertain her lady friends while their husbands went out on the lake fishing in the boat. It was too frilly for my liking really, but the white furniture in here was comfortable.
I’d used it as a hideaway since I was about fifteen because on rainy days my mother thought it was too far from the house so I knew that she wouldn’t bother me.
Having a Kleenex shoved in my face, I took it from Millie and watched her sit at the end of the sofa that I currently cuddled up on.
I sniffled some more until Millie broke the silence. “I’m worried about Carter. He isn’t answering his cell or replying to my messages.”
Wallowing in my own sorrow, I’d forgotten about my best friend’s feelings for Carter. “I’m a terrible friend.”
“No, you’re not.” She shook her head. “You have more to deal with. I’m sure Carter’s okay.” Millie bit her lip. “At least, I hope he is.”
I moved and wrapped my arm around my friend, our heads together. “We’re a right pair, huh?”
“I’ve been thinking that I want to ask my father for help. He knows that you’ve always been here for me, which means he’d do anything for you.”
“Millie, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t want more trouble and you know as well as I do that your father isn’t very diplomatic.”
She chuckled. “No, he isn’t. But he’d be able to get Stryker free of Declan without the wedding going ahead. And I trust my father. I can’t say the same for Declan.”
I so wished I could agree, but I’d heard things about Millie’s father and he sounded a slightly meaner version of Declan, not that I’d ever voice that. He’d mean well, but the way he’d go about it wasn’t something I’d probably be able to live with.
We’d both be free though.
“Leave it for now, Millie. Let me try and do it this way before your father gets involved. I need to believe that Declan will let Stryker go free.” I grabbed hold of her hands. “I have to believe that because it’s the only thing keeping me going.”
Millie nodded.
“What about your father then? He knows this isn’t what you want. I saw his face when we arrived. It was full of sorrow. I bet that’s why he hasn’t been around.”
My father may have been absent a lot, but he’d know everything that happened at the house when he wasn’t there. No one could get anything past him. So why had he left and stayed silent?
“I don’t know. I’m just so tired and I’ve had enough. I feel if someone said boo to me I’ll burst into tears. I hate feeling this way.”
“Patrick’s at the house.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry to just blurt that out. It’s why I came to find you because I was trying to give you some alone time. If it’s any consolation, he looks just as bad as you. At least he did when he thought no one was watching. Then your mother appeared and he changed before my eyes into a happy groom. She ushered him through to the kitchen. Something about the cake.” Millie shrugged. “I know what I saw, but are you sure he doesn’t want this as much as you don’t?”
“How can he want to marry me, Millie? We had some kind of relationship, which started to go sour before I even knew Stryker existed. Patrick doesn’t want me, and I know he’s only going ahead because of pressure from his father. I suspect he’s also going ahead because it takes the pressure off of him and once married, he can go out after what or who he really wants.”
Millie frowned but I ignored her.
“I guess I better go back to the house.”
“Not so fast.” Millie stood and tugged me up to face her. “What was all that about Patrick? Do you know something you’re not sharing?” She tipped her head to the side and waited.
“I don’t know anything.” I grabbed her arm and tugged her out of the glasshouse. “I suspect something that’s all.”